Rural Development Ministry proposes 40% increase in sanitation projects

The Union government is seriously considering to 40 percent increase for sanitation sector in the annual budget this year. Indicating this the Union minister for Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh announced to launch a nationwide sanitation campaign with title “ Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan”. Addressing a group of liberated manual scavengers during his visit to Sulabh headquarters here, he said that the government is considering to increase the grant of Rs.3 thousand to Rs.7-8 thousands for the construction of individual toilets in rural areas. He said that his ministry would focus on the implementation of sanitation related issues at gram panchayat level. He aanounced to open a “sanitation club” for each and every school of the country and the ministry will provide an annual grant of Rs.3000 for every sanitation club to create awareness among children at grass root level.

Appreciating the efforts of Sulabh International in the field of Sanitation, Sh Ramesh urged it’s founder Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak to focus on rural areas to achieve the target of total sanitation in the country. Lauding the initiative of Sulabh,the minister said that there is a need of the construction of at least one lakh toilets in rural areas to achieve total sanitation cover in next ten years.He requested Dr. Pathak to come forward to support government`s aim in this regard.

Expressing great concern over the issue of open defecation in India, the Minister pointed out that country still lacks in the field of sanitation.He called upon NGOs to launch awareness campaigns to motivate for use of toilets instead of going for open defecation.